The Sapphire Pendant
by Jade Bear
Summary: A Tom&OC fic Will no longer be updated
1. The Last Christmas Together

"The Sapphire Pendant"  
  
Chapter One - The Last Christmas Together  
  
A/N I: For the purposes of this story, let's assume that Armando Dippet is so incompetent, that he had to rely on other people's help to get Christmas dinner for the students organised. I refer to the Hogsmeade pub as being the Hog's Head. I think that this is the name it had around this time (and not the Three Broomsticks like later), and when Hagrid refers to it as such in PS/SS, it was just a mere slip of the tongue. I am fully aware that there could be two pubs in the village, but I like my theory better. Besides, Hagrid did have quite a few slips of the tongue in PS/SS. (  
  
It was snowing softly outside the dormitory window. The room was quiet for once. All the gossipy and snobby girls had gone home for the Christmas holidays, which left Ceridwen and Myrtle alone. Ceridwen put the finishing touches on her Potions essay and left it to dry on her nightstand.  
  
"What does limpid mean?" Myrtle asked from the next bed.  
  
"I don't know. Where did you hear it?"  
  
"I read it in my book just now. 'She gazed up at him, looked into his limpid eyes and declared what she had been dying to do ever since-.'"  
  
"Umm. that's enough. It's most likely a disease of the retina," Ceridwen explained, barely keeping a straight face.  
  
"You are no fun."  
  
"I know." Ceridwen replied, laughing.  
  
Myrtle dog-eared the page she was on and threw the book onto her nightstand. "I was wondering, who did you get Christmas presents for this year?"  
  
Ceridwen paused before answering, trying to think of all the names. "Well I got one for my Mum, Dad, Aine, Pat, Kennan, Shannon, Kassie, Culin, Deirdre, Allan, Gemma, Molly, Arthur, and you of course. Why?"  
  
Myrtle shook her head. "I don't see how you can keep so many family members straight, and still remember almost all your friends. How do you pay for so many?"  
  
Ceridwen shrugged. "My summer job at St. Mungo's gives me some spending money. As for keeping track of my family and friends I guess it helps to have a good memory. Wait, what did you mean by 'almost all your friends'?"  
  
"You didn't get one for Tom."  
  
"Why would I? He's said loads of times that he hates Christmas, and that he doesn't keep any of the presents he gets. You didn't get him something this year, did you?" Ceridwen asked, seeing Myrtle's face fall.  
  
"I've given him something every year. I always thought he was just awkward about it because he'd never got any before coming to Hogwarts. He might think it was charity or something. I didn't think that he would throw it out!"  
  
Ceridwen jumped off her bed and hugged her friend tightly. Then she held onto her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes.  
  
"Maybe he really does want presents, how should I know? If he really didn't keep them for himself, I'm sure he just kept them until he went back to the orphanage and gave them to someone there so that they wouldn't be wasted."  
  
Myrtle stopped crying, but started to sniffle and made an attempt to wipe her face on her sleeve before Ceridwen stopped her and handed her a handkerchief to blow her nose with.  
  
"Look, it's Christmas. We're supposed to be happy today. Besides, we've got dinner at the Hog's Head to look forward to. It'll be nice to get out of the castle."  
  
Myrtle started to wail again.  
  
"It's easy for you to stay cheerful! You're going to be seeing your family in Hogsmeade today! I won't see mine 'til June! Everyone likes you and they never EVER tease you about anything just because you're a Healer. Plus no one you're in love with throws away the presents you've given him! Just go away and leave me alone!"  
  
"But I want to help."  
  
"I don't want your help! I don't want you to Heal me! You've done enough of that already! Don't bother trying to cheer me up, I'm not going to that stupid Christmas dinner!" she shouted before throwing herself onto her stomach and hiding her head under her pillow.  
  
Ceridwen quietly closed the navy hangings on Myrtle's bed and left the dorm room. Myrtle would never understand that being a Healer meant you had to devote your life to just that, and nothing else. Ever since she had been five, she had had dreams of playing for the Holyhead Harpies. But she would never get to do that now. She couldn't even be a Mediwitch for the team because she had to stay at St. Mungo's in order to help as many people as possible. She had wanted to be a Prefect, and Head Girl, and all of the rest of it. But she couldn't. She had to give up all her dreams the day that she had discovered she was a Healer.  
  
* * *  
Ceridwen sighed. She was used to Myrtle being emotional all the time. So were most people. But it seemed to annoy everyone else whenever Myrtle would burst into tears and run off, especially Olive and Tom. Some days, even she couldn't handle Myrtle. Olive teased Myrtle more than anyone did, but Tom kept his annoyance to himself. Well, it would have been totally to himself except for the fact that she could feel his emotions. He had let her Heal him before, at least physically. Ever since the first attack, he wouldn't let her Heal him anymore, even though he felt really stressed. He probably felt guilty too. She had told him in the strictest confidence that Apollyon Pringle was a squib, and he had let it slip at a Prefect's meeting. Soon, the entire school knew. A week later Pringle had been attacked by Slytherin's heir. Whoever that was. They had learned a little about Slytherin and his goals from Professor Binns when Laura Grant had asked about the Chamber of Secrets. Unfortunately, the History of Magic teacher was more interested in the International Warlock Convention of 1289 to tell them very much. She needed to stop thinking about this so much. Christmas was a time to be full of joy, not depressed. She headed towards the doors to the grounds with a good solo Quidditch practise in mind. She was just about to go out one of the doors when-.  
  
"Ceridwen, going somewhere?"  
  
"Tom, hi! I was just going to go out onto the Quidditch pitch for a while."  
  
He grinned. "You aren't exactly dressed to go outside."  
  
She looked down and realised that she was still in her pyjamas, slippers and dressing gown. She could feel her face begin to heat up. "I could have sworn that I had changed. I guess I didn't. I'll go back to Ravenclaw tower."  
  
"I'll go with you," he announced, joining her on the stairs.  
  
"Pardon?" Ceridwen asked, a little confused.  
  
"I'll go with you. I'll just wait outside your common room. There's no one else in our year in my house, and I wouldn't mind some input on my Potions essay."  
  
"Sure, I'll help you. You can wait in our common room if you want. It's just Myrtle and me left this year. Everyone else has gone home."  
  
"That's fine." He seemed to be lost in thought after that, until he broke the silence again. "Is it odd for you, not being surrounded by so many people?"  
  
"It is a bit lonely. I'm used to having a big family or all my classmates around all the time. I miss them, my family I mean. But I'll get to see them tonight at dinner. Then I'm going to go with them to the Inn, stay there for an hour or two because they're staying there for the holidays, and we'll exchange presents." She paused at the top of a flight of stairs, thinking about earlier that morning. "Myrtle doesn't seem to be coping very well with all these attacks. She thinks that she's a target because she's Muggle-born. But she's perfectly safe. She was upset for a different reason this morning, though."  
  
"What now?"  
  
"I told her that you don't keep any presents you receive. She's got this idea in her head that you just chuck them away." Ceridwen said wearily.  
  
He started laughing a cold, high pitched laugh that didn't suit him.  
  
"Stop that! She's really upset! You didn't really throw away all her presents, did you?" Ceridwen asked, anxiously.  
  
He stopped laughing abruptly. "No, of course not."  
  
"Why don't you tell her that?"  
  
"If she really is upset, she'll still be caterwauling. I don't want to go near her if she's like that." Tom explained.  
  
"Caterwauling, honestly. She's not a cat."  
  
"You could've fooled me. Whenever she's angry or upset her voice gets all high-pitched and irritating like a cat whose tail you've treaded on. Whenever she's not angry or upset she's still whining and complaining."  
  
"That's so nice of you to say so." Ceridwen took out her wand and said the password. "Eagle quill."  
  
The suit of armour she had just tapped with her wand lifted up about a foot then did several spirals to the right to allow passage into a corridor that had not been visible moments before. As they came near, the torches lit themselves. After a couple twists and turns, the two of them came to a short spiral staircase. Finally, they walked into a room even taller than the Great Hall. An underwater scene had been charmed onto the ceiling. Dolphins were doing a sort of underwater ballet in one corner of it. Two walls in the room were charmed to be an oceanic blue, while the others were lined with thousands of books. The chairs were a darker shade of blue, and the tables a nicely finished dark wood, all of which were useful and practical pieces of furniture. A bronze statue of an eagle on a rocky crag was centred in the room. There were several corridors branching off of the common room, Ceridwen headed towards one of them.  
  
"You can sit down if you like. I'll just be a minute," she called over her shoulder.  
  
"Is that the way to your dorm room?" Ceridwen stopped and turned to look at him. "Yeah, why?"  
  
"Just wondering."  
  
Ceridwen turned back to the stairs and called over her shoulder. "I'll be right back." She disappeared into the middle corridor. It was quiet for a few minutes until-  
  
"AUTUMN! You ruined it!" Ceridwen screamed, then stormed into the common room a minute later with some battered looking pieces of parchment in her hand. "Stupid cat. My essay is all smudged with inky paw prints. Now I've got to do it all over again," she sighed. "At least it cheered Myrtle up. She said that she might actually go to dinner now."  
  
"We can only hope." He said sarcastically. "Why don't we go to my common room? There aren't any cats there now, and we won't be disturbed."  
  
"You're the only one left in Slytherin, and you don't have a pet. It wasn't that hard to figure out that there wouldn't be any cats roaming around there." She looked down at her essay, then back up at Tom. "Let's go."  
  
The two of them walked out of the common room, holding hands just as Myrtle came downstairs from the dorm room with the offending calico in her arms.  
  
"Poor thing. You didn't ask her to yell at you, did you?" She doesn't care about you at all. Isn't that right you pretty little kitty?" Myrtle let her down. Autumn meowed, looking at the passage to the rest of the castle. "You want out? Okay, follow me."  
  
* * *  
There was a blurry face in front of her. Slowly, it began to come into focus. Tom.  
  
"How are you feeling?"  
  
She put a hand to her head to stop the room spinning. She tried to sit up on the black velvet couch she was on, and her stomach did a somersault.  
  
"Like someone dropped a dragon on my head."  
  
"You just collapsed while you were reading my essay. I brought you over here so you could lie down."  
  
She looked over at the part of the common room that had tables and chairs. There were papers and books laying on one of them. She vaguely remembered something about inky paw prints. Her hand was cramping up badly now too.  
  
"Do you remember that?"  
  
"Not really. I'm probably just a bit tired. I've Healed Myrtle every day for the past few weeks. I just need to go to bed. I'll lay down for a bit, then I'll be all rested up."  
  
She got up off the couch quickly, and swayed a bit.  
  
"Are you sure? You can sleep here in one of the girl's beds if you want. They wouldn't mind."  
  
"No, I'm sure. I just need to go to bed, my bed. I'll go now." Ceridwen staggered towards the entrance to the common room. She had no idea why she knew where it was, as she couldn't remember coming here before.  
  
"Don't you want your essay? It's a bit smudged, but you can still read parts of it." He came towards her with a couple pieces of parchment. Once he was near her, her stomach did another somersault. Something in her gut was telling her to run as fast as she could- away from him.  
  
"No, no. I don't need it. I've got a rough copy back in my dorm room. I've got to go."  
  
"You don't want to stay? You don't look so good. You really can rest here if you want."  
  
"I'm fine, really. I'll just go now. I've got to go." She started shivering, and went through the entrance. She almost stepped right on her cat. It had been clawing at the entrance the whole time she had been in there. Tom followed her out into the corridor. He glanced down when he felt Autumn tearing through his shoes with her claws, and looked furious. Ceridwen panicked, picked up her pet and ran. She didn't pay attention to where she was running. Finally what was left of her strength gave out and she collapsed beside the statue of the one-eyed witch. She was just catching her breath, when she heard footsteps. They were getting near her, closer and closer. She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid of the person whose feet were coming close to her. She hugged her cat to her as close as she could. The footsteps stopped. She opened her eyes.  
  
She saw a pair of twinkling, blue eyes behind half-moon spectacles. Dumbledore. Relief swept over her.  
  
"Professor! Can you help me to the hospital wing? I don't think I'll be able to make it there on my own," she asked, almost in a whisper.  
  
"Yes, of course."  
  
She put her cat on her shoulder, and he helped her get up and walk to the hospital wing. Only when she was sitting on the edge of a bed did she venture to speak again.  
  
"Could you take Autumn to Pat? He's in Hogsmeade, and I'm too weak to go to dinner and take her myself."  
  
He looked at her intently. "Is there any particular reason you feel she should be with your brother instead of here with you?"  
  
"I." She trailed off, unable to tell him her newfound fears about her friend. "I just don't think I'll be able to take care of her properly."  
  
"Is there something else you wish to tell me?"  
  
"No, there isn't professor." She held up Autumn so she that was facing her. "I'm sorry, Autumn. I have to give you to my brother for a while. You'll be fine with him." Tears streamed down her cheeks. Ceridwen passed her kitty to Dumbledore then wiped the tears from her cheeks.  
  
"It is a shame that you cannot make it to dinner. But I must ask you why you are so weak. Did you just Heal someone?"  
  
"No. At least. I don't think I did. One minute I was fine, the next thing I know I'm lying on a couch in the middle of the Slytherin common room."  
  
He looked surprised. "The Slytherin common room? What were you doing there?"  
  
She paused again, not sure how much she wanted to tell him. "I was helping Tom work on some homework."  
  
"Tom? Tom Riddle?" he asked, suddenly looking very serious.  
  
"Yes, why?"  
  
"Nothing to worry about right now." He stood up from his seat on the next bed. "Rest up. I'm sure your family will want to come up to the castle and see you. You have to save up your strength if you want to rip open all your presents. I'm sure Madam Pompfrey will be over to help you into bed in a moment." Autumn meowed mournfully as he carried her out the door.  
  
He left her feeling quite confused. Ceridwen allowed Madam Pompfrey to help her change into pyjamas, and get into bed. She didn't remember much after that.  
A/N II: My beta was giving me some insight into dialogue, and I just had to share this example she gave me with you all. (  
  
"Hello," she said to Tom. "I'm glad to see you."  
  
"I'm glad to see you too." Tom smiled at her, then said, "I've been meaning to tell you, Ceri. I'm really a Siriusly evil overlord."  
  
"No kidding." Somehow Ceri wasn't surprised.  
  
A/N III: The limpid eye joke was taken from Keeping Up Appearances (one of my fave Britcoms). I wish it were mine, but it's not. The part about a calico cat called Autumn walking all over homework and smudging it is real too. Needless to say my sister wasn't too happy about having to redo all those Algebra equations. ^_^ 


	2. Remembrall

"The Sapphire Pendant"  
  
Chapter Two- "Remembrall"  
  
A/N: In case of confusion, the sapphire pendant that is described in this chapter is a bit like a kinolia, in that the picture is like a hovering hologram type thing. There's no sound, and no incantation to activate it, though. If you don't know what a Kinolia is, refer to chapter nine of After the End called "The Kinolia".  
The weather outside was relatively peaceful. However, a storm was brewing inside the O'Malley household. It was the fourth row that morning between mother and daughter, and it was only ten o'clock.  
  
"I told you before, you cannot go to see that.that.person!"  
  
"His name is Tom, mother! You can't stop me from seeing him. I'm 17 and I've graduated from Hogwarts, you can't tell me what to do anymore!" Ceridwen screamed back.  
  
"I don't care if you are of age or not! No daughter of mine is going to go out with trash! He's half Muggle, so he's no good! May I remind you that your father was robbed at knifepoint by some of those Muggle scum? How can you defend people like that?" Mrs. O'Malley asked her youngest daughter. She seemed to think that she had won the argument, as she began to turn away.  
  
"Not all Muggles are like that." Ceridwen tried to explain.  
  
"99.9% of them are." her mother retorted as she left the room.  
  
Ceridwen made a noise of frustration, then stormed off through another door to her room. After slamming the door, she leaned against it for support because she was shaking so badly with anger. To think that her mother wouldn't even give her boyfriend a chance! She hadn't even met him! She had refused to meet Myrtle too, and now that chance was all but gone. She could run across Olive Hornby, whom Myrtle was haunting, but it was unlikely. Olive had been travelling a lot since they graduated, trying to get away from Myrtle.  
  
She wanted to throw something, hard. As she scanned the room, her eyes quickly passed over spell books, cushions, pillows, her cauldron, and various knick knacks. She wanted something that would shatter into little pieces, and make a big mess. Her eyes rested on a glass ball filled with white smoke. It felt cold in her hands as she picked it up. Just as she was about to hurl it at the door, the smoke inside turned red. Quite satisfied at the crash it made when it hit, Ceridwen flopped down on her bed. She was determined to think about happier things, so she wouldn't be quite so angry.  
  
Her thoughts wandered while she fidgeted with the pendant on her necklace which she always wore. It was a thin bronze-coloured chain, with an eagle feather quill on it. The shaft of the feather was also made of bronze, but the panes were sapphire. It was a work of incredibly intricate art and magic, and she treasured it. Her father had given it to her for her birthday to celebrate her being Sorted into his old House. It was their secret that it was also charmed to be a locket of sorts. Pushing the tip of the feather and the nib of the quill at the same time, a sparkling light came out of the pendant, which changed into a picture, that had been taken when her Dad was teaching her how to ride a winged horse. They were both smiling and laughing. She let go of the pendant with a sigh, and the image disappeared.  
  
Her Dad was rarely ever home now. He worked two nine-hour shifts on the weekdays, and he spent most of the time on the weekends taking long walks by himself. When she was younger, every once in a while on a Sunday night, he would take her to a Quidditch game. Those were some of the best memories from her childhood.  
  
She had had a dream when she was little to play Quidditch with the Holyhead Harpies after she graduated from Hogwarts. Her mother had soon taken that away from her by forbidding her to join her House team so she could concentrate on Healing. It was one of the few times that she had needed to be comforted by Myrtle. Now Myrtle was dead, and she would never be able to give her a proper hug again. Right about now, that was what she needed more than anything.  
  
Ceridwen lay there for a long time, thinking about the life that she would have had if she hadn't discovered that she was a Healer, until she was called for dinner. 


	3. Reflection

The Sapphire Pendant  
  
Chapter Three- "Reflection"  
Ceridwen dragged her feet as she walked to the dining room. The youngest of her four brothers was waiting for her at the door. "It's about time you got down here! Mum is on the verge of throwing a fit," Kennan whispered before opening the door for her to go through.  
  
Kennan, herself and her parents were dining together that night. Usually it was just Ceridwen and their mother, since all of Ceridwen's siblings had already moved out. Kennan had some sort of business to discuss with their Dad, so the two of them made a rare appearance at the O'Malley dinner table.  
  
Mrs. O'Malley was glaring at her empty drink glass as her children came in and sat at the sides of the table. Mr. O'Malley took his usual seat at the head of the table. Mrs. O'Malley insisted on this for the sake of keeping up appearances in front of the servants. The servants, however, were not fooled. They knew the real relationship between their master and mistress, largely thanks to Mrs. O'Malley's constant shouting and Mr. O'Malley's meek acceptance of it.  
  
The servants suddenly appeared, with trays laden with food. Ivy set the main course in front of Ceridwen, and smiled encouragingly to her friend. Ceridwen smiled weakly back. Mrs. O'Malley caught the quick exchange between them and raised her voice.  
  
"Ivy!"  
  
"Yes, ma'am?"  
  
"From now on, Violet will be serving my daughter. Now go get her from the kitchens and take her place there."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," Ivy replied, while curtseying, then left the room.  
  
It was totally unfair! What had Ivy done? Nothing! Now she was going to be stuck with Violet. Why that withered old hag was still employed at the age of 150, she never could quite figure out. Ceridwen shuddered at the thought of her. She had had nightmares about her when she was little. Violet had a face as wrinkled and brown as a walnut shell, which bothered Ceridwen for some reason.  
  
"Why did you do that?" Kennan asked.  
  
"I did it because your sister shouldn't fraternise with the help. It simply isn't acceptable." Mrs. O'Malley explained.  
  
"I'm sure she wasn't fraternising. She's been quite lonely since Myrtle. I don't know if that's what's bothering her. She doesn't look quite right though. Maybe she's just feeling poorly, are you Sarrah?" Kennan inquired of his sister.  
  
"I'm not sick. One does find it difficult to eat when one has been hurt excruciatingly." Ceridwen replied dramatically, hoping to get a reaction, any reaction, from her father. He took another sip of white wine. She should have known he would just pretend he didn't notice that anything was wrong. Kennan was about to ask who had hurt her so excruciatingly, when Violet stepped into the room.  
  
"You sent for me, ma'am?" Violet asked as politely as she could.  
  
"Yes. From now on, you alone will serve Miss Ceridwen. Now Sarrah, I-." Ceridwen cut her mother off.  
  
"Don't call me Sarrah! You aren't allowed to use that nickname. Only Kennan is."  
  
"Don't tell me what I can or cannot call you. You are my daughter, and I will tell you what you can or cannot do." She said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin rather savagely.  
  
Violet, who was standing right beside Ceridwen now, liked to put her two Knuts worth in when at all possible. "That's right. You should show some respect to your mother after everything she has done for you."  
  
"Oh shut up! No one asked for your opinion. You don't even know what you're talking about! My mother has never done anything but run my life! I'm so sick of it! I'm not a little kid anymore! I'm an adult and I'd appreciate being treated like one!"  
  
"Then stop acting like a stupid little brat!" Violet muttered under her breath, but Ceridwen had heard her.  
  
"Did you hear what she just said, Mother?" Ceridwen waited for a response from her, but she just ignored her daughter. "You're not even going to defend me, are you? If I was your precious, perfect Aine you wouldn't hesitate to defend me! You know what? I'm glad I'm nothing like her. I'm nothing like you either! I wasn't put into your House at Hogwarts because I asked the hat not to put me there. I'm glad I did. I'm also glad that I quit that job you forced me to get at St. Mungo's. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a Healer to go into a hospital for any length of time? No! You don't, because you're not a Healer and you never will be!" Tears sprung in her mother's eyes after Ceridwen spat the last sentence at her. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Did I hit a nerve?" She smiled. "Good. Maybe now you'll understand how I feel every time I talk to you." Ceridwen finished speaking, and got up to leave in a huff. Before she could get out the door, Violet grabbed her by the elbow and hissed in her ear. "You insolent, ungrateful little wretch! You should apologise immediately!"  
  
Ceridwen yanked her arm free from her maid, absolutely furious.  
  
"I will not apologise to you or anyone else! You're just a servant! You should apologise to me!" Violet didn't speak. Ceridwen's eyes turned pitch black. "I told you to apologise." Her voice rasped with anger, and she could see a hint of fear in the older woman's features.  
  
This was the way it should be. People should fear her. A sense of power filled her body. She ached to hurt someone. Squibs like Violet were useless. There was no point to her being in the wizarding world at all.  
  
Violet flew across the room, hit the wall, then fell to the floor. When she finally managed to get up, she trembled as she stumbled towards the door. She backed out of the room, afraid to turn her back on Ceridwen. She had done wandless magic, but she had never hurt anyone before. Shaking, Ceridwen sat down on another chair and looked hesitantly at her family's faces. All of them looked shocked and frightened even her father.  
  
"That was a fine display! What the servants will think of me now." Mrs. O'Malley started ranting, but with a definite tremor in her voice.  
  
"You're worried about what they think of you?" Kennan asked, looking more shocked than ever.  
  
"Yes, that's right. You remember our dear mother don't you Kennan? She's always worried about Keeping Up Appearances. Maybe if you visited more than once a month you'd know that." Ceridwen said a little too calmly.  
  
"Since when do you speak to your brother like that? Or to any of us? What has gotten into you? That disgusting Mudblood must have poisoned you against us!" Mrs. O'Malley had gone too far. She had done the one thing that she had been threatening to do ever since Ceridwen had come home from Hogwarts. It was amazing the effect one little word had.  
  
Pain wrenched at Ceridwen's heart. How could she.? How could she? She would never forgive her for this. Ceridwen got up and left, unable to stay in that room any longer.  
  
* * *  
  
Ceridwen was sitting in a chair with a book open on her lap, and her eyes completely glossed over. At the sound of knocking, she came back down to Earth, and got up to answer her door.  
  
It was her Dad. She frowned. Unlike most of the times she spoke to her father, this was not going to be pleasant.  
  
"Your mother is very upset," He began.  
  
"I hadn't noticed," Ceridwen retorted sarcastically.  
  
"Why don't you go down and apologise?" he suggested.  
  
"I didn't do anything wrong. If she can't handle the truth about herself, that's not my problem."  
  
"You were rather rude. If you would just go and say you're sorry for what you said, I'm sure she'll forgive you," he continued on, barely acknowledging that she spoke.  
  
"I'm not going to say I'm sorry when I'm not! If I did, then I'd be lying! You were the one who always told me that you shouldn't lie. Are you saying that I should go against your teaching?" Ceridwen asked her father.  
  
"No, it's just that she's so upset." He trailed off.  
  
"Oh, I see! You want me to apologise so she'll stop yelling at you and everyone else! You don't even care that she's wrong and I'm right! Well guess what? I'm never going to tell her I'm sorry, because I'm not! Go away and leave me alone!"  
  
Ceridwen turned on her heel, and walked over to one of her windows in a huff. She noticed that she hadn't heard him close the door, so she whipped around. He was still standing in the doorway.  
  
"It's like you've been possessed by someone who is so different from my little girl. I don't even know who you are any more."  
  
"Well, join the club! I've never known who you are, because you're always avoiding Mum by going to work! Did you ever stop to think how that would affect us kids? No, you didn't! If you had, you would have made time for us! You're a horrible father!" Ceridwen screamed.  
  
SLAM! She had shut the door on him, after he took a step back at the sound of her yelling. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in a mirror as she walked by it. Her hair was a sandy colour, and her eyes were a chocolate brown. When had she started to look so much like her Mum? She had started acting like her too, narrow-minded, short tempered, and yelling all the time. The likeness frightened her. She couldn't be anything like her mother. It was ludicrous! She had been Sorted into Ravenclaw, while her mother was put into Slytherin. The hat had said that she should go to- No! She would not think like that! She was totally different from her mother! They were nothing alike! Nothing!  
  
She conjured a cloth to cover the mirror, and threw herself onto her bed. Her Dad was right; it was like a completely different person had possessed her. Whoever it was that she was changing into, she only knew that she didn't like that person at all. 


	4. A New Life

"The Sapphire Pendant"  
  
Chapter Four- "A New Life"  
A/N: The "Rebellious Witch Syndrome" is taken (and tweaked a bit) from a novel called In Search of April Raintree by Beatrice Culleton Mosoiner. It was originally called the "Native Girl Syndrome". If you want to read that book, be forewarned. It is a very graphic and emotional read.  
  
"I've seen so many nice witches throw their lives away." Violet had started her rant about what she called the "Rebellious Witch Syndrome". She had told Ceridwen that she would start to fight, lie, run away, get pregnant, not be able to keep a job, drink heavily, do drugs, shoplift, prostitute herself, live with abusive men, and end up in Azkaban. Other than that, the life trajectory Violet had given her was quite optimistic.  
  
Ceridwen could just imagine what Violet would say if she knew what she was about to do. Violet would see it as running away from home. She was running away, but not from home. She was running away from her mother and all the fighting. She was so tired of fighting all the time.  
  
Ceridwen grabbed her bag by the door, and turned to survey the Manor. It looked like it always did, cold and foreboding, even during the summer. She was glad to finally be able to leave it. Now all she had to do was find a place to go to.  
  
London was a place full of opportunity. However, she wanted to avoid Diagon Alley and Pat, who owned the Magical Menagerie. There were other streets in wizarding London, like Diurn Alley. That street was deserted most of the time. Plus, Donnelly lived there. He'd give her a place to stay while she found one of her own. The other Healer had told her that she was always welcome in his flat.  
  
She Apparated into the middle of Diurn Alley, then collapsed onto the nearest bench, exhausted. She was not used to getting up so early, but she still had several hours before the other Healer would be awake. Yawning, she closed her eyes, which were aching from her lack of sleep and drifted off.  
***  
Ceridwen woke up, grateful to have had some time to rest. She had been running around so much the past few days, to make sure all of her affairs were in order that she hadn't had time to sleep. Her first stop of the morning had been at Gringotts to deposit all her gold, and to put a few prized possessions into an Indestructible Box.  
  
Ceridwen started fidgeting with her necklace. She should feel excited. Instead, all she felt was anxiety. Was leaving her home, family and job really such a good move to make? She shook her head. She was just having last minute jitters. Tomorrow, she's start looking for a job. Everything would be just fine. She just had to relax. She put the necklace back under her robes.  
  
There was a faint popping noise beside her. She looked up and saw Tom. She got up off the bench as gracefully as she could while trying (and failing) to conceal her excitement.  
  
"Tom!" Ceridwen exclaimed, while hugging him rather tightly.  
  
"Ceridwen, I can hardly breathe!" he choked.  
  
Ceridwen let go of him, blushing from the roots of her hair downwards.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's just. you have no idea how hard it's been since we graduated! Everyone has been nagging me, and telling me what to do! You're the first friendly face I've seen all summer!" She paused for a split second before continuing. "So. how have you been? You don't have to stay any longer at the orphanage, right?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. So, where are you headed?" Tom asked her.  
  
"I'm going to Donnelly's flat." Ceridwen answered.  
  
"Why don't we go see him together? I haven't met him yet." He suggested.  
  
"Yes, all right."  
  
Ceridwen led the way to Donnelly's office and flat. She opened the door and heard the usual tinkling bell above her head. Tom followed her in. They waited a minute for Donnelly to appear. He cheerfully bounded down the stairs from his flat above. When he saw who is was, his face broke into a huge grin.  
  
"Why hello, Ceridwen! How good to see you! I wasn't expecting to see you until this afternoon. No matter! I was just going to put the kettle on, would you like to join me in a cup? It's my special morning blend, guaranteed to get you through the worst mornings!"  
  
"That would be lovely. Oh, I haven't introduced you two yet! Tom, this is Donnelly Cauldwell, my Healing tutor. Donnelly, this is Tom Riddle, my boyfri-. ah.friend." Donnelly continued to smile after the introduction, but it looked rather forced.  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you." Tom said, holding out his hand for Donnelly to shake.  
  
"It's nice to meet you too, Tom. Any friend of Ceridwen's is a friend of mine." Donnelly replied. He grabbed Tom's hand, shook it for a split second then let go of it.  
  
Ceridwen and Tom followed Donnelly up into his flat. While Donnelly made the tea, Ceridwen stood next to him, chatting. Tom sat at the small round table in the next room, apparently lost in thought. When the two Healers came to sit down, they were carrying three full teacups, and a sugar bowl.  
  
"I forgot the cream! It's still on the counter. Ceridwen, would you be a dear and go fetch it for me?" Donnelly asked, while looking disdainfully at Tom.  
  
"I'll go get it." Tom offered, not wanting to talk to Donnelly alone.  
  
"While you're up, could you get the honey too? I never put cream or sugar in my tea." Ceridwen asked without turning to look at him.  
  
Tom's back stiffened as he walked into the kitchen, clearly annoyed.  
  
"So Ceridwen, why are you by so early? I thought that our lesson wasn't until this afternoon." he asked her.  
  
"Oh.well. I couldn't stand it there any moment longer. I've moved out."  
  
"Really? When?"  
  
"Well, this morning. I was kind of hoping that until I find a place of my own that I could stay here, with you. That is, if you don't mind."  
  
"Of course I don't mind! You can stay as long as you like! But what about that friend of yours? Why did he come with you?"  
  
"He said that he hadn't met you yet and he wanted to." Ceridwen explained.  
  
"Right. I'll believe that when flobberworms grow mouths." Donnelly muttered, but Ceridwen didn't notice because she was too busy staring into her teacup. "Ceridwen?"  
  
"I've quit my job at St. Mungo's."  
  
"Whatever for?"  
  
"I can't stand being in that building. It's horrible. I can't believe they put me in the children's ward. They're all so frightened. It's so hard to deal with day in and day out. They should be happy at that age."  
  
"I see. Are you planning on getting another job?"  
  
"Yes, of course I am!" Ceridwen exclaimed, rather indignant. He had a very dubious look on his face. "Oh please Donnelly, be happy for me! I know no one else will be."  
  
"I can be happy for you. I know what overbearing parents can be like. But what about your friend, shouldn't he be happy for you too?" Ceridwen was very quiet. "What is taking him so long? How hard is it to find things that are already on the counter?" Donnelly continued, not ready to let up. "There's something about his aura, it's so cold. I don't- "  
  
"Sorry about that, I accidentally spilled some cream and had to clean it up. It took me a while to remember the proper cleaning charm. I never had to learn any of them." Tom explained, setting the honey and cream on the table.  
  
He sat down, as Donnelly got a snarly look on his face. Donnelly had got a detention probably every other week (usually cleaning out grimy barrels of disembowelled slimy things) while he was at school.  
  
"So have you found a place to live, Tom?" Ceridwen asked, trying to keep the conversation civil.  
  
"Yes, in Wales. It's unplottable, of course. I've already got a job there. I tell people where the best place is to conduct their business."  
  
"That sounds riveting." Donnelly said dryly, watching Ceridwen take a sip of tea.  
  
"It is quite interesting." Tom replied slowly, also watching Ceridwen with great interest.  
  
Ceridwen frowned a bit. "Are you sure this is your morning blend and not your night-time blend? Because I feel a bit." She didn't finish, she had slumped in her chair, completely asleep.  
  
Donnelly jumped out of his chair, and rushed over to Ceridwen, shaking her. "Ceridwen, Ceridwen! Wake up! What's wrong?" He turned to Tom to ask him to get his smelling salts, but Tom had his wand pointed at him. He yelled "Stupefy!" as loud as he could without stirring the neighbours. Donnelly fell to the ground, stunned. 


	5. A Brief Summary of Events by the Author

I suppose I owe it to the people who subscribed to this fic in the hopes that I would one day finish it a brief description of what would have happened.

- Tom kidnapped Ceridwen

- Tom made her Heal the people under Grindlewald.

- Tom brutally killed her family, and gave her Aine's (her eldest sister) bloody ballerina slipper as a momento of the occaision.

- Dumbledore helped Ceridwen escape.

- Ceridwen pretended to be a Muggle for a few decades, and fell in love with the owner of an Irish Pub (during the mid 1970's).

- He proposed to her, and she accepted but then Tom found her so she disappeared without a word.

- She ran off to Asia, Canada, and Australia (always paranoid that Tom would find her).

- She bumped into the Muggle pub owner again somewhere in her travels, and married him before telling him she was a witch.

- He found out once she became pregnant and could feel the aura of their son growing inside her (which made her quite ill/weak).

- The son was Seamus Finnigan.

- Hence Mrs. Finnigan (Ceridwen) not wanting to believe that Voldemort/Tom was back and not dead, and also not wanting to send her son (a Half-Blood) to Hogwarts if it was true.

If you have any other questions, just send me an email/PM/review. :)


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